Day 74: 23 miles, Jul 31

My first day with my dad! Perhaps I neglected to explain earlier that my dad met me in Charlottesville to finish the last 190 miles of the route with me. This day was purposefully quite short since we both wanted to spend a lot of time at Monticello, or “Thomas’ house” as he affectionately calls it. Thanks to my aunt Kay in Fort Payne, AL, who knows a donor to the home, we got some special treatment upon arrival: the curator’s secretary led us up to the third floor and dome room, which was closed to the public some years ago. Very cool! Thank you very much, Kay. We also took all the regular tours we could: house, garden, and plantation.

The short distance to Palmyra we rode in the evening, after the temperature had fallen from nuclear to sweltering. There was no longer a B&B there, so I asked at the excellent deli and convenience store whether there was a place to put up a tent. The owner suggested Pleasant Grove County Park, just a mile away. A few phone calls later, and I had permission from the sheriff to camp there. Fortunately, a storm front came through just in time to cool things off for the night.